A list of words deemed to be unparliamentary has created a storm as the monsoon session of India’s parliament commenced. Words like baloney, betrayal, bloody, chamcha, cheat, chhokra, corruption and even sexual harassment have been included in a compilation of unparliamentary words by the Lok Sabha Secretariat.

Is this a routine exercise? If that’s the case, why are Opposition members of Parliament up in arms? Who decides what words get to be used by MPs and MLAs in our democratic system? Should there be wider consultation before such a list is circulated? 

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